Enjoying a Luxurious Staycation in Phoenix

Enjoying a Luxurious Staycation in Phoenix

March 5, 2018

An Inside Peek at The Camby

As we drove away from Sedona, it started raining profusely. We even saw a light sprinkling of snow as we were checking out of our hotel. It was so beautiful, but definitely chilly out there. Even the locals were surprised by the snow because they claimed not to have had snow for years. There’s something so magical about a light flurry of snow. While the drive from Sedona to Phoenix claimed to be two hours, it took a bit longer just because of the heavy rain coming down on us. It was half sleet and half rain, so it was definitely interesting driving through a storm.

Our destination would be The Camby, but we were headed to lunch with Aaron's sister first. This called for beers and a delicious lunch. We spent hours chatting and catching up with her. Once we parted ways, we then headed directly to our hotel to check in.

This time in Phoenix, we were staying at The Camby, an Autograph Collection hotel. Located in the heart of Phoenix, across from Biltmore Fashion Square, it is very well located. We checked in quickly, and headed to the 11th floor. I was so excited to know I was on the top floor, mainly because I knew the view would be fantastic up there. As we walked through the doors, I realized this was in fact a suite. The walkway to the suite had its own half bathroom, and a table by the door. It was so roomy, and of course the view was incredible. We could see far into Phoenix between the two other buildings in our view.

One of the coolest parts was that the hotel left so many treats for me, which was so incredibly sweet. They even had several Perfect Bars waiting for me! I had just done a campaign with Perfect Bars and they’re my favorite mid-day snack and such a great way to get your protein. Of course, Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite wine and these types of touches to the room make the hotel even more memorable for me.

When it came to the bathroom, it was unlike any other I’ve ever stayed in. Everything was marble and looked immaculate. The floors, counters and bathtub were all marbled out, which was such a gorgeous setting. I may or may not taken a few hundred selfies in the mirrors. Once we settled into our room, we unpacked and made the room ours. We didn’t leave much time before dinner, but luckily dinner was downstairs.

The Artizen restaurant was dimly lit, and filled with lots of people trying to have a good time on a Thursday night. There were some women cackling in there, and I kindly asked the hostess not to sit us next to them (haha I don’t play those games!) Luckily she understood and gave us a little nook in the very back. Our server was super personable, and knowledgeable even though he was new to the restaurant. I love when a server is a genuine and down to earth individual because as you can imagine, it makes for a pleasant meal. Because this person will be coming back multiple times through a meal, it’s so important they’re personable and awesome.

The next morning I had an appointment at a new kind of nail salon. What a new concept that was more modern and tech oriented, I was so excited to test out. Prose Boutiques just opened their salon in Phoenix, and they were on their way to another one in Scottsdale (in just a few weeks) and you are going to LOVE the concept. I was smitten as soon as I walked through the door.

The chairs for pedicures were so comfortable, and had a charging station in the side. Before I get in to the details, I will say that everything about the salon was VERY well thought out, and not a single detail was missed. When it comes to the pedicure bowls, the salon didn’t do the traditional method of putting a plastic bag into each bowl. That plastic bag has to be taken out and then carried to the trashcan, which ends up dripping everyone and is honestly disgusting (barf.) The water that comes out into the pedicure bowl here is sanitized which sanitizes the bowl and keeps it clean for your feet. Not to mention there is some lotion included in the formula which helps to keep your feet hydrated.

My nail tech was fantastic, and very gentle. I’ve been in really weird situations with nail salons where the tech rips my nail and I am bleeding. You want to know what they offered me? A $1 discount for making me bleed. Honestly thinking about it now makes me laugh because that is just so incredibly ridiculous. Anyway, the point is that my nail artist at Prose was super gentle and did a fantastic job with my toes.

Once we were done with the pedi, we moved over to the nail bar. I love the set-up. It’s a high-top long bar which is so different and unique. Again, there was a charging station and the Prose team provided the charger cord, which was really nice because I hadn’t brought one with me. I was asked to take off all my rings and jewelry, and it was placed in a dish so I wouldn’t lose the rings. What’s interesting is I thought it would be so fun if they cleaned rings since there weren’t on me as I was getting the mani. The funniest thing happened because my nail artist explained to me that the manager Beau, got super excited about a fun device he found that easily and quickly cleans jewelry. He asked if I would let him try my rings including my engagement ring. Normally I would’ve said no, but I had already gotten comfortable and I thought why the heck not? I’ll either come out with a cleaner ring or a diamond not in the ring anymore. What’s the harm, right? HA! Well this nifty tool is the best because my rings came out so incredibly shiny. It’s just another element in which Prose goes above and beyond, because they are consistently one step in front of the typical salon.

Most of Saturday we spent exploring Phoenix. We drove around (I managed to get us lost of course) but we ended up doing a spot of shopping which worked out just fine. The best way to get around the city, especially if you're planning to drink OR don't have your own car, is Lyft! Every time I jump into a Lyft, I feel a lot better knowing I'll get from point A to point B. I've also noticed that Lyfts' drivers are always in great moods and genuinely want to make me comfortable. They offer water, gum, changing the music, and so forth. Lyft is always my choice when it comes to the cab concept!

That evening we were meeting with one of Aaron's oldest friends and his wife, at Steak 44. I've had some good steaks in my life, but honestly this was the best steak I have ever had. It was so crowded when we got in there, but we had a reservation at 9 PM, and a gorgeous table. We were able to enjoy the table for hours, and we could hear each other speak because the booth we were in was away from the noisiness at the bar. If you want a good steak, I've given you a great recommendation!

P.S. I had gotten dressed up, but didn't have much opportunity for photos so I took a bathroom selfie. #noshame

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the amenities and sleep off the steak and wine we had devoured.

The next morning we had a chance to sleep in, which was fantastic. I've been getting up so early the past few weeks for flights and meetings, so I enjoyed sleeping in a bit. I had a special massage appointment scheduled for 9 AM at the Zest Spa (inside The Camby) and I can't tell you how excited I was. Unfortunately I don't ever take photos during spa appointments because you leave all your belongings in a locker, but my therapist was very tenured and had been in the massage game for over 20 years. Many of the therapists are tenured as they had been with the hotel for years. I could tell the difference between her massage versus the massages I've gotten in the past. She felt the body and help alleviate pressure based on her experience. She didn't just listen to what I told her, but she got the kinks out of my back based on how my body was responding. This was such an incredible treat!

After my massage, I was feeling a little sleepy of course but we packed up our things, said goodbye to the beautiful marble bathroom and headed to a final brunch in Phoenix. This time we hit up Hula's Modern Tiki.

The food was absolutely delicious, and I am still thinking about the rice. It had a slight coconut infused taste to it, with a buttery touch. Not to mention the tacos were delicious, and the meat just melted in our mouths. If you're looking for something a bit different for brunch, this is your spot. It's not the standard eggs and Benedict lunch, but we definitely wanted to try something different. This was not only different, but it is was so much more delicious than a traditional breakfast. Promise you'll enjoy it.

We had a fabulous staycation weekend, and I genuinely cannot wait to go back to The Camby. It is by far my favorite property I've ever stayed, Steak 44 was the best steak dinner I've ever had the pleasure of having, and Hula's Modern Tiki was definitely a delicious spot to stop for brunch on the way out of Phoenix.